Originally Posted by
3alarmer
...the frame, the material it's made from, the dimensions and geometry of it, the wheels, the riding surface, all come together in whether or not a bicycle feels "comfortable" while riding it. YOu've made some concessions to comfort, whether you realize it or not, in your choices in that regard. But I know you feel like we all ought to be able to do what works for us.
What I can't understand is the constant chatter that seems to indicate otherwise.
I know no one from the current CF is better, tires need to be wider believes I could be happy on steel, riding 700x25's at 130#. But it's only important to my happiness that I believe it.
It's not about happiness - ride what you love! I know I do! - but rather about accepting the reality. smd4 knows that his preference for 23s at 140 psi is not faster than 28s at lower pressure, and on a lot of roads will be slower. But it's what he likes.
"Smoother, more vibration-absorbing ride" are pretty relative terms. They get tossed around all the time here. All bicycles are a compromise between "smoother" and "more efficient", even the older steel ones. It's just the way it is.
But it turns out that those two things are less diametrically opposed than we'd thought, and that smoother may also be more efficient
But again, ride what you like. Last Sunday I felt like riding my CF bike with discs and 28s at 80/85. Yesterday I felt like old steel, rim brakes, and 25s at 90/95. I had a blast both rides.